SeaRaider Design Competition

Side Profile view of SeaRaider   The SeaRaider was entered in the Classic Boat Magazine Design Competition in 2005, where she placed 2nd. One of the judges was none other than Nigel Irens, the designer of amongst other things, Ellen Macarthur's world record breaking triamaran, so we were very pleased to be judged so highly. The following article is the text of their comments, which appeared in the January 2006 issue, together with the other winners. Matt Says: "The hull is roughly what a fast dinghy looked like in the 1960s," Matt says. "And the long flat run should give speed and stability with the crew aft, while in rowing mode the wetted surface is minimised by moving crew forward. Water ballast will achieve best performance (tanks empty) and safe single-handed sailing (tanks full). The ketch rig has been adopted to allow rapid reduction of sail when singlehanded, dropping main while still giving good performance under jib and mizzen. She can be rowed by four oarsmen sitting side by side on two benches with the rig stowed safely between them." Judges' comments: Matt's approach appears to be similar to David's Perentie, with a long narrow hull and a fine waterline. This is not surprising as the two boats are intended for the same purpose, but because Matt's boat is for a crew of four, or five, she has inevitably ended up a little larger with over twice the loaded displacement. This has resulted in the added complexity of balancing the conflicting needs of light weight for rowing and the use of water ballast for sailing single-handed. And the tanks have to be full or empty, otherwise water sloshes around. A large engine is included for commercial reasons, further adding to the complexity. Nevertheless, Matt has produced a lovely-looking boat with a hull form that has stood the test of time over the last 50 years. Plus, he has taken advantage of modern production techniques, using three 6mm ply planks per side in monocoque stitch-and-glue construction for strength and lightness. We particularly like the sail plan, allowing a choice of sail area for the prevailing conditions, while leaving the central area of the boat free of masts and rigging. This gives plenty of space for the rowers, keeping their weight in the middle of the boat where it's needed. There are several other points worthy of mention: the almost full-length boxsection gunwales; the tabernacle for simple mast raising/lowering; steering arrangement; the removable thwarts, and the good-sized centreboard. There are just a couple of areas we feel could be improved: a slightly larger rudder blade and a slightly deeper keel strip; a couple of bilge rubbers and a skeg for protection to her bottom. With this boat, Matt has designed a modern classic with far wider appeal than the raid brigade, and although reluctant to make comparisons, Craic makes for a modern version of the Drascombe Lugger She should indeed deliver the 'craic' (a good time) for those that sail her We look forward to seeing and sailing her at Beale Park. A long slip of a boat, the Craic will certainly provide plenty of fun under both oar and sail - though again we suspect her forte will be rowing. The ketch rig is a tad less efficient at this scale, but it provides more options in windy conditions, so definitely gets a thumbs up. A couple of inches more of freeboard would be comforting in heavy weather, and a more substantial skeg would make long-distance helming more pleasant. That said, Swallow Boats know what they're doing and have ample experience in small-boat design. Our response to the judges suggestions have mainly been taken on board. We have deepened the rudder blade and the keel strip, and we were always intending to have bilge runners, which were an accidental ommission from the drawing. Depending on how she handles, we may add a fin skeg to help give her more directional stability when rowing or helming.